Peterborough, Ontario recently celebrated the arrival of the first Irish immigrants – way back in 1825.
The British government had, some years before, come up with a plan to transport poor Irish families to Canada, which was to be managed by one Peter Robinson. The town, then called Scott’s Plains, was later named for Robinson.
The year 1825 saw 1,878 Irish immigrants moved, mainly from Cork city, to Canada. More would follow.
One of the 70 people who turned up was Bob Allen, who still owns the 100 acres of land his ancestor, Edmund Allen, was given when he arrived. Allen arrived in 1825 on a boat called The Resolution. “It's such a historical honour. I'm proud of it," Allen told the Peterborough Times.
Also there was Brendan Moher, a director of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club. His ancestors arrived seven years after the original shipment, in 1832. Moher told the Peterborough Times that it is "vital to remember" the history of the Irish settlers.
"So many people in this area are of Irish heritage and so many people in this area can trace their lineage back to the over 2,000 (original settlers) ... and in the years that followed during the potato famines that were going on in Ireland."
Peterborough is 85 miles northeast of Toronto, along the main route between Canada's biggest city and its capital, Ottawa.
6 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Shirleyp | Oct 22, 2010, 08:20 PM EDT
Please tell me there's a list of names that can be searched. Looking for Michael White, born about 1813, from Cork to Maine in 1830s.
Greenlady | Oct 22, 2010, 07:52 PM EDT
Well both ofyou are right! Ottawa is the capital of Canada and Toronto is the capital of Ontario. I think this is long overdue and it makes me proud to know that they are recognizing the importance of the Irish in settling this country!
TheYank | Oct 22, 2010, 10:37 AM EDT
Oh, shrinnkie246, you were almost right. Yes, Peterborough's in Ontario, but the capital of Canada is Ottawa, not Toronto.
shrinnkie246 | Oct 20, 2010, 03:35 PM EDT
Peterborough is NOT in eastern Canada. It's in the Province of Ontario, northeast of its capital Toronto.
JayDooling | Oct 20, 2010, 10:34 AM EDT
Lawrence (1799-1852) & Honora (1805) Dooling (ancestors of mine) immigrated to Newfoundland before 1830. Later (1845) they moved their family of 9 children to Philadelphia.
chesapeakered | Oct 20, 2010, 10:18 AM EDT
Wish they would provide a list of those immigrants and which county they came from. That would be helpful. I had both Irish and Scottish immigrants come through about that time.